Monday, May 11, 2015

The Curse of Chastening

Numbers 23:20-21 KJV
Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.
He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.

What a fantastic statement.

Balaam could not curse Israel because God did not see iniquity or perverseness in her. This is nothing short of the mercy of God because we know that both had existed in Israel. One of the last events before Balaam’s introduction into the Word of God was Moses smiting the rock and God judging that he and Aaron could not enter the Promised Land because of it.

This is the standing of every Christian.

Because of grace through Christ God sees no sin in us.

Perhaps there is a hint here of Balaam's fall. He saw how Israel could be cursed. If she could be enticed to sin; to comprise with the world, she would then fall under the chastening hand of the Lord.


The Christian can never lose his salvation because he is hidden through grace in Christ. But he will be chastened if he dwells in sin. We can never lose the blessing of salvation but we can, through compromise with the world, bring upon ourselves the curse of chastening. 

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